Chris Evert vs Martina Navratilova - 1983 Canadian Open Final

[spartyutube]

Chris looks great with a head band!



[thadxxx]

Chris serve was so weak here. That hurt her a lot.

[nothingfails99]

So she almost beat Martina here but got crushed a few weeks later at the USO. Tennis can be so weird...

[doetim]

Has there ever been any other player who only lost 1 match in the entire year other than Martina?

[craigferris1]

Martina lost 1 match in 1983. Can anyone guess which one?

[zedlacredit]

@craigferris1 I am quite sure that a great majority of people know the answer. 4th round French Open to Kathy Horvath, Martina was the defending champ.

[Beautifulmusiclistnr]

@craigferris1 The French Open!

[kljMN2]

Why did Chrissie wait so long to switch to a graphite racquet?

[spacecolt]

@kljMN2 She was 29, the most successful player ever using the racket she already had, and didn't want to be inconvenienced when she was thinking of retiring. But I think she decided she didn't want to be 'run out of the sport' by Martina, so she stayed & switched to graphite. She would surely have retired without that new challenge.

[jubbadupa]

@kljMN2 Although you gain power with graphite to do loose accuracy, Chris was renown for her percise accurate shot making. I don't think she thought that the trade off was worth it, but surely realized that the game was moving towards power after the 82 & 83 seasons...

[JPTR2A]

Chris is just to cool!

[LondonNil]

Martina only lost one match in 1983!

[RaleighNC306]

I'm convinced Chrissie waited at least a year too long to switch over to graphite!!!

[thadxxx]

@RaleighNC306 What year to Martina go to grahite? Was Chris the last player to stay with wood? It's funny though b/c Chris was beating everyone easily in '83 except Martina.

[shottut]

@thadxxx Martina went to a graphite over-sized raquet after the 81 season was finished. Chirs went to a graphite in March of 84. Chirs had a few loss to Jaeger in 82, that I feel had to do with her still playing with wood, you could see how the power the other players were getting (with the graphite) was making it difficult. 

[yescanto]

@shottut I agree with you, Jaeger did nothing better than Chris, she didn't serve better, move better, she wasn't quicker, didn't hit better ground strokes (or have better stroke production), but the raquet gave her shots more sip, and yes .. you could see it.

[thadxxx]

Interesting match. This was their only competitive match in '83. Chris was playing well with her precise passing shots but she was always in a defensive position. I think she had a lot of insecurities in her game in '83. She needed to be more aggressive like in '84 and '85. Thanks for posting. Would love to see more like 82 Wimbledon, Houston 88. So many matches so little time

[sandrovic1970]

A masterclass in the art of the forehand drive with sidespin.

[kljMN2]

I love these classic clips of Chrissie. I'd like to see clips of the '83 US Open final between these two.

[karrtt1234]

I remember watching this match on tv, it was great tennis from both gals.The stroke production and the crispness of their shots was outstanding. It would have been hard for anyone to pull themselves away from this match. It was very exciting ! It was the Players International back then, Chris won in 74,80,84,85. She is one of 2 players to be a 4-time champion of this event.(Evert,Seles) I hope that CHRISEVERTDOTNET decides to post the 1980 final vs Ruzici.